Carpooling Tips
To make carpooling a pleasant experience for all, here are some helpful tips...
Meet up with your carpool match beforehand
Meet with the person or people you are carpooling with at uni to check that they are an appropriate match and someone you can travel with.
Keep your car clean and well maintained
No one wants to sit where your dogs have been sleeping, or put their feet amongst last weeks take-away food rubbish. Also ensure your car has current registration, and is roadworthy. This means it is regularly serviced and not likely to breakdown due to lack of maintenance or fuel.
Determine who will drive, and when
If all members of your carpool want to drive, decide among yourselves if you want to drive on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
Avoid side trips on the way home
Save other trips, such as shopping, for the weekend. Otherwise simply choose not to carpool on the days you need to run an errand.
Establish a cost-sharing arrangement
We recommend that you share the cost of a parking permit, for example, if there are 2 people carpooling and you purchase a daily permit then that will be $3 each. Purchasing a daily permit is a great way to start as you trial your new journey. You may want to progress to monthly or trimester parking permits as time progresses and your carpool buddy is working for you. A similar arrangement can be worked out for fuel and any toll costs. There is also a fuel calculator on the MyCarpools website which will work out how much money to contribute to the driver for your journey.
Give your carpool some time to work
It usually takes a few weeks to arrange everyones routine into a harmonious pattern. Most carpoolers discover they really enjoy the company of their fellow carpoolers and find it a benefit they had not anticipated.
Ensure carpoolers have your contact details, and you have theirs
If a driver is ill, or not travelling, an alternate driver should be notified to ensure that other members of the carpool will have a ride. If a rider is ill or will not be working, the driver must be contacted as soon as possible. Don’t forget to give notice of holiday, personal or overtime plans.
Establish some basic ground rules
Smoking, music, food, drinks, etc. Some may also like quiet time in the morning.
Determine a schedule and be punctual
Establish a pick-up time and place, and designate a place to meet for the trip home. Decide together how long to wait for a passenger. The usual waiting time is 2–5 minutes. Also decide how far in advance you should notify others if you can't make it or are delayed.
Plan B.
Make sure you have a plan B to fall back on if your driver can't make it. Even if this involves getting a taxi, you'll be still saving a lot of money over the long term.
Encourage others to carpool.
Letting others know of the benefits of carpooling can encourage this form of transport to be commonplace at Deakin and will increase your chances of finding someone to carpool with.
Drive safely
Carpools are no place for road rage, aggressive driving or breaking the law in any way.
